So here’s the story. I already have a bachelors of science degree in biology. I originally had intended to go to med school but after a lot of thinking decided that it wasn’t for me. So after graduating in 2015 I decided to see what other opportunities were out there for someone with a biology degree. As it turns out there aren’t many good opportunities at all unless you plan on completing a PHD. Even after graduating from a reputable school in my area with a 3.5 gpa I found myself working at entry level positions as a basic lab tech along side people who don’t even have a college education.
So now at the age of 26 I’m planning on going back to school to pursue a bachelors degree in engineering. Im attracted to engineering because I enjoy science, there are excellent job prospects and a great starting salary. Also I will have already completed many of the prerequisites like general chemistry, organic chemistry, calc 1, and calc based physics. I was originally attracted to bioengineering due to my interest in medicine and biology. However after a lot of research I hear that it is not the most valuable degree as the curriculum is too broad and the companies in this industry would rather hire mechanical or electrical engineers who have more specialized training than bioengineers. I do not want to make the same mistake twice. So I am thinking maybe since I already have a biology degree, I would be competitive for these jobs if I went for mechanical engineering. This would also give me many other options if I could not find a job in that field or decided that it wasn’t for me. However chemical engineering also interests me due to my interest in chemistry. I am wondering if I could work in this industry as a chemE. I also hear chemical engineers generally start with a better salary. Ive also heard that there is not much chemistry involved in chemical engineering and that it is mostly about designing chemical plants and looking for ways to improve the manufacturing of chemicals rather than actually creating new products.
I am not solely committed to the biomedical field and am open to other fields. I have many interests including biotechnology, nanotechnology, automobiles, 3d printing, robotics, computer aided design, and more. I just want something that will give me many job opportunities and flexibility.
Because the background for BME is so broad and overlaps with a BS in biology to a surprising degree. Have you considered pursuing a Masters or PhD in biomedical engineering? You could probably make up some of the engineering coursework by taking an extra year–it would cost you a lot less than pursuing a second B.S. However, if you’re committed to going back to undergrad for either mechanical or chemical, with your background and interests you’d probably have a much better time in a mechanical engineering major–there’s a reason it’s such a common double major for BME. Biomechanics and mechanobiology span pretty much all timescales and size scales from atoms to mammals and can involve nanotechnology, microfluidics, biomaterials, and lots of cool tech. Most people I know with experience in ME and biology want to pursue medical device design, which offers a lot of opportunities.
I agree- a second Bachelors makes less sense than going straight to Masters or PhD. A Masters- even if you had to take a few courses before applying- would be faster and less expensive than a 2nd Bachelors, and a PhD (while a harder admit) would be fully funded.
I have not thought about pursuing a masters or PHD because I was under the impression that you would need an undergrad in engineering to pursue that. Perhaps I will look into it. Bio mechanics is definitely something Im interested in. Im also interested more specifically in 3d printing of tissues, manufacturing synthetic organs and robotic limbs. Thanks for the reply!
My husband had a chemistry degree undergrad and decided that he didn’t like the jobs available do went straight to a masters of chemical engineering. You might need a couple engineering classes but it wasn’t hard for him. He ended up specializing in petroleum engineering during his masters and eventually went to law school. So you have a lot of options and you don’t have to have an engineering undergrad to get a masters in engineering.
OPs case is tougher because his undergrad is biology not chemistry. Even if he can get away with less training, gaps in his engineering education might haunt him later on.
Also OP does not know what he wants to study. By the time one gets a masters they should know that at least.
Suggest take engineering lower-class intro courses at a local community college, during which time explore the fields/fit more fully. Then apply to state u.
Many colleges will not grant second BS degrees. The best approach is to go for a MS degree. OP will have to take many/several undergraduate classes to meet the minimum needed for an MS program. Best bet would be to choose which field of engineering he is interested in and contact the graduate department to work out the specific classes required.
My experience was similar to yours, OP. I got a BS in biology, worked a couple years, and went back to school at 25 for an MS in mechanical engineering. It can be done. Definitely take as much basic math/engineering coursework as you can before you apply to any graduate programs, though.
Like @monydad said, though, you need to know what you want to study (and what kind of work you’d like to eventually do) before you begin to take any of these steps. You should also look at job postings to get an idea of what sorts of things are sought after for the types of jobs you’re interested in. During your time as a graduate student, you need to get professional experience in the form of internships and co-ops. This is somewhat less important if you’re going for a PhD (though still valuable), but it will be virtually necessary if you’re getting an MS. I thought that an MS from a top school, combined with relevant research experience, an MS thesis, and academic projects, would be enough to make up for the fact that I lacked an engineering BS. I was wrong, and it made the job search very difficult. Actual professional industry experience is a must in the world of engineering.
Also look into what various types of engineers actually do. You’re correct that chemical engineering is more about process development/optimization than about chemistry or new product development, but you need to have a much, much better understanding of what this means before you actually decide to pursue (or not pursue) a particular field.
Just things to keep in mind as you explore your options.
Interesting. How did that work out for you? If you could go back would you have done it differently? One of the good things about the school I would most likely attend is that it has co ops integrated into the curriculum for the bs degree and they are required for graduation. They help you to set this up. However they don’t do this for the MS degree. After speaking with the director of admissions he said that the MS degree is not ABET accredited but the bs is. They have a Meng masters program that is ABET accredited but this is only available after completion of the bs in engineering.
ABET policy used to state that a university could gain accreditation for either their BS or MS degree program, but not both. Most schools chose the undergrad program for good reason. The policy recently changed to allow dual accreditation. However, I would guess most schools haven’t gone out of their way to get their graduate programs accredited. This would only be a problem for you if you wanted your Professional Engineer (PE) license, which requires a degree that is ABET accredited.
I know a few people who earned an MS in Mechanical Engineering after a BS in physics. They said it was a struggle for them, even with the math and physics background. The engineering part of the BS represented a significant knowledge gap. I don’t say this to dissuade you. It is just a few data points that I happen to know and you should be aware of.
You might want to open up the search and include Materials Engineering. It can involve a lot of chemistry and there are a many applications to the biomedical field.